Area Youth Fund event slated for Aug. 17-18

Banquet tickets and golf teams are now on sale for the 11th Annual Farmers’ Electric’s Area Youth Benefit Fund events scheduled for August 17-18 in Chillicothe.

Several changes have been made for the dinner/auction, scheduled to be held August 17 at the Chillicothe Elks Lodge, and for the golf tournament, which will be held the following day (August 18) at the Green Hills Golf Course, also in Chillicothe.

Changes at the banquet include contests and games prior to the main auction. Golf contestants will be treated to a catered hickory pit barbecue luncheon as part of their registration. FEC Services and the Fuel Expresso Convenience Store are donating the barbecue luncheon.

“So far, we haven’t really promoted the AYBF events, but we already have over 100 banquet tickets sold, as well as over 30 golf teams, including five new teams for this year’s tournament,” said Dan Bryan, Farmers’ Electric’s Executive Vice-President and CEO. “We’re looking forward to another fun couple of days raising money to help area families in need of assistance in paying medical bills for their child.”

The main auction will include a framed Matrix movie poster signed by five of its stars, including Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne; a basketball autographed by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson; a baseball autographed by Sammy Sosa; and a football signed by Michael Vick. There will be limited edition art prints, autographed memorabilia from the recording, television and movie industry, exquisite Waterford crystal, Busch Series and Winston Cup series NASCAR tickets and much more.

A reception, complete with a multitude of silent auctions and the previously mentioned contests and games, will begin the dinner/auction festivities at 5 p.m. A buffet dinner, featuring pork loin donated by Premium Standard Farms, will follow at 6:30 p.m. At approximately 7:30 Col. Mike Miller will take the stage and provide the call for the main auction.

“We have too many items to list for all of the auctions,” Bryan said. “We do want to thank the area merchants and businesses whose generous support is the key to the success of the AYBF.”

For the fifth consecutive year the AYBF golf tournament is being co-sponsored by Pepsi Cola Bottling of Brookfield. Chillicothe Mayor Todd Rodenberg is this year’s tournament chairman.

“Pepsi has been a great sponsor to work with,” Bryan praised. “They have been very generous in their support of our charity efforts and we are continuing our agreement well into the future.”

The three-person, scramble golf tournament will feature contests on every hole, including a cash prize of $10,000 for a hole-in-one on Hole No.2. There are cash prizes for first place winners of each flight and prizes for the second and third-place teams. There are usually four men’s flights and a women’s flight.

Corporate sponsor teams are $300, plus they receive three banquet tickets and special recognition at the banquet and golf tournament. Regular team prices are $225. Each golf contestant receives a Gear For Sports polo shirt, a sleeve of balls and other assorted items.

Banquet ticket prices remain the same at $25 apiece. Banquet tickets may be purchased by contacting the Farmers’ Electric office (646-4281) or be contacting any of the following committee members: Neal Dietz, Scott Gardner, Jennie Tipton, Gina Truesdell, Stan Hayward, Cheri Burns, Charlie Merrill, Tony Clark, Eric Turner, Mary Bryan, Andrea Graves, Carrie Almond, Curtis Overton, Dan Leatherman, Steve Shoot or Rodenberg.

Total AYBF assistance by county is as follows:

Caldwell $23,533.34

Carroll $31,038.36

Chariton $20,401.24

Clinton $20,603.44

Daviess $21,752.73

DeKalb $24,222.24

Linn $28,125.43

Livingston $49,789.46

Ray $21,569.16

Gentry $ 1,000

TOTAL $237,749.75

The AYBF is expected to top the quarter of a million dollars in donations by the end of the year, Bryan said.